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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/38233
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/38233
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **Background:** I'm planning on writing an extensive series of fantasy books. I plan on writing quite a few of these books, and while they'll all be set on the same planet, I intend them to center on different characters, countries, and cultures, and not stick to any one. Disregard for now the logistics of pulling off such a feat.

**Question:** I intend these books to be traditional fantasy (with a few alterations to make it less cliche). I don't want to limit myself to any one sub-genre (here meaning 'plot genres' like romance, dystopian, mystery; as opposed to 'setting genres' like historical, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.). However, this doesn't mean I won't create novels in those genres. It just means I will create other novels which are in different genres as well.

**How can I prepare my readers for this?**

If, for example, I open my series with five novels set in a dystopian country, and follow the general plot of dystopian novels, how can I convey to my reader that these are primarily FANTASY novels, and really only a small portion of them will happen to be DYSTOPIAN also? How can I write my novels so that the reader doesn't expect any one genre? I'm trying to avoid jarring or surprising readers when, after a five-book dystopian story, I suddenly switch to a mystery series. And then a romance series. Followed by a coming of age story.

**How can I keep my reader from expecting any one genre?**

Original score: 13